1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a debris/storage bag and, more specifically, to novel, improved debris/storage bag which is designed for use on, but not exclusive to, power equipment used in the clean up and maintenance of all kinds of outdoor areas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Debris/storage bags are known and have existed probably as early as when man first found a way to sew two animal skins together leaving one side open to form a pocket and attaching two straps at the top of the opening so that he could tie the bag between two different trees so that the animals could not get his food. Although no debris/storage bag could be found with prior patent art, those of which I am aware are disclosed in: (1) an outdoor power equipment parts and supply catalogue, Greenline Distributors, Inc., Smyrna, Ga.; (2) a company in Sanford, Fla. that manufactures a debris bag called the Debris Bagger. Both of these debris bags have straps that attach from the top of the bag; the first debris bag has two straps, each strap consists of two webbing strips that are tied around the handlebars like an apron string. The second debris bag has a similar strap arrangement; however, instead of tying the straps together, this debris bag secures using hook and loop fasteners sewn on the webbing strips.
In today's highly competitive landscape maintenance industry it is very important to do high quality work. One of the most obvious signs of poor quality work is to have papers, cans, and other debris kicked to the side and then forgotten and left there when the job is completed. Operators of power equipment know this and for years have been improvising ways to deal with the problem by attaching makeshift debris/storage bags to their handlebars. Some of the most common ones are plastic grocery and fertilizer bags, mesh potato sacks, 5-gallon plastic buckets with handles, citrus bags and burlap pecan bags. The need for debris/storage bags is not limited to just outdoor power equipment but also includes such items as dollies, hand carts, baby strollers, wheelchairs and sailboat cabins. These prior art embodiments have, however, a serious deficiency. That being the ability to secure the debris/storage bag in place to prevent it from swinging when put in motion. After debris has been put into the bag, the weight of that debris will create a back and forth movement. Depending on how the bag is attached to the handlebars, it will interfere with the operator or the operation of the machine. If placed in front of the operator, hanging straight down from the handlebars, the motion would carry the debris/storage bag back toward and possibly into the operator. If fastened sideways on the machine it would swing out past the normal operating space of the machine when turning and could cause problems in snagging onto something or by damaging something if it were hit by the weight of the debris inside.
Another feature, a pocket or pockets have been added preferably to the outside of the debris/storage bag, to carry additional items that would be separate from the contents of the debris/storage bag such as a towel, cold drink, tools, etc. while operating the machine.
None of the known debris/storage bags have the ability to be attached to an object other than from the top. The ability to attach the debris/storage bag in a fixed area from two or more sides is one of the main objectives of the present invention. Nor does any known debris/storage bag have a pocket or pockets attached to the bag to provide additional carrying space that would keep the contents separate from that which would be put inside the debris/storage bag. This also is one of the main objectives of the present invention.